Geranium plant named ‘KLEP03111’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal  Geranium  plant named ‘KLEP03111’, characterized by its upright and uniform plant habit; freely branching; early and freely flowering habit; bright red-colored flowers arranged in rounded umbels held above the foliage on upright and strong peduncles; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KLEP03111’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘KLEP03111’.

The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely branching Zonal Geraniums with upright and uniform plant habit and interesting flower and foliage colors.

The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in August, 2000 of a proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number Z98 151, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number G 015, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar KLEP03111 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany, in June, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany since 2001 has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘KLEP03111’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KLEP03111’ as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Zonal Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Bright red-colored flowers arranged in rounded umbels held         above the foliage on upright and strong peduncles.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in leaf color as plants of the female parent selection have lighter green-colored foliage. In addition, plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more vigorous than plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in leaf color as plants of the male parent have a more distinct leaf zonation pattern than plants of the new Zonal Geranium. In addition, plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more vigorous than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Klesectra, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/250,008, now abandoned. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Klesectra in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were larger and more         vigorous than plants of the cultivar Klesectra.     -   2. Flower color of plants of the new Zonal Geranium was brighter         red than flower color of plants of the cultivar Klesectra.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower and foliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘KLEP03111’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar KLEP03111 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and averaged measurements describe plants that were planted in January in 12-cm pots in Stuttgart, Germany, and grown under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 22° C., night temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 16° C. and light levels ranging from 25,000 to 60,000 lux. The photograph and information for the detailed botanical description were taken about 13 weeks after planting rooted young plants. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar KLEP03111. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum             identified as code number Z98 151, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum             identified as code number G 015, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 6 to 7 days at 22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 9 days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 15 days             at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 17 days             at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine to thick, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately dense; freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   General appearance.—Upright and uniform plant habit; densely             foliated.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely             branching, about five lateral branches develop without             pinching, that is, without the removal of terminal apices.         -   Plant height (to top of flower umbels).—About 27 cm to 33             cm.         -   Plant height (to top of foliar plane).—About 21 cm to 25 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 23 cm to 25 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 6 cm. Internode length:             About 2 cm. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: 177A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 6 cm to 7 cm. Width: About 8 cm. Shape: Rounded to             reniform. Apex: Rounded. Base: Lobed, not overlapping.             Margin: Crenate, lobed. Venation pattern: Palmate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous; rough. Color: Developing             and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137A; venation,             137B. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface:             137B; venation, 137D. Zonation pattern: Slight. Location             from margin: About 1 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Color: 139A.             Petiole: Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Bright red-colored flowers arranged in             rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils.             Umbels displayed above the foliage on upright and strong             peduncles. Flowers double in form; rounded and cupped.             Umbels persistent, flowers not persistent. Flowers not             fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; at full flower,             plants have about eight developing and open umbels each with             about 39 flower buds and flowers.         -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In             the garden, flowering is continuous throughout the summer.         -   Time to flower.—Early flowering; plants start flowering             about 79 days after planting rooted young plants.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to eight days on             the plant.         -   Umbel size.—Height: About 6 cm to 8 cm. Diameter: About 9             cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 5 cm. Depth (height): About 1.5             cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7 mm to 10 mm. Diameter: About 6             mm to 8 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Color: 139C to 137D overlain             with 177A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About six to seven. Length:             About 2 cm to 2.2 cm. Width: About 1.8 cm. Shape: Ovate.             Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, velvety. Color: When             opening and fully opened, upper surface: 34A; color does not             fade with development; venation, 34A. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: 40A; towards the base, 39D; venation,             34A.         -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About two to six. Length:             About 2 mm to 8 mm; irregular in size. Width: About 2 mm to             5 mm; irregular in size. Shape: Variable, irregular. Apex:             Mostly rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Mostly entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, velvety. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 34A; towards             the base, 40A; color does not fade with development;             venation, 34A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             40A; towards the base, 39D; venation, 34A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 5 mm to 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm to             5 mm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent, rough. Color,             upper surface: 139D. Color, lower surface: 139D overlain             with 177A.         -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 16 cm. Diameter:             About 4 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately strong to             strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: 177A.         -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 2 cm to             3 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm to 2 mm. Angle: Erect.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: 177A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity per flower:             Five. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther             color: 63C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 49B.             Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:             About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Five-parted, star-shaped. Stigma             color: 57C. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: 65D.             Ovary color: 140D.         -   Seeds.—Seed development has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Zonal     Geraniums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures from about 8° C.     to about 30° C. and have good garden performance. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘KLEP03111’, as herein illustrated and described. 